3A Heredity and Environmental Factors Flashcards
The interactive influences of hereditary and environmental factors on a person’s psychological development (19 cards)
Genes
the basic units of heredity - contains genetic information and form a section of DNA
Some environmental factors
Emotional environment
Socio-cultural environment
Learning environment
Prenatal environment
Physical environment
Examples of Emotional Environments
Support and encouragement.
Attachment
Relationships
Comfort
Examples of Socio-cultural environment
Family’s religious beliefs and faith
Difference in household income
Culture (workplace, home, school, sport , etc.)
Social norms
Examples of learning environment
quality of education
Sensory and stimulation
Play
Examples of Prenatal environment
mother’s nutrition
while pregnant,
alcohol (FAS)/drug use,
exposure to toxins
Examples of Physical environment
exposure to
pollutants, disease,
extreme temperatures,
nutrition,
accidents/injuries
Why is it important for psychologists to study development throughout the life span (2 reasons)
- understand how humans learn,
mature and adapt over time.
-provide explanations for our thoughts, feelings and behaviours. - they can better understand what
‘normal’ or ‘typical’ development looks like when something is ‘atypical’.
Hereditary factors
Biological influences on development that result from the genetic information passed from biological parents to their offspring
Hereditary factors pre-determine some characteristics at conception.
Genotype
The genes inherited from their biological parents
The genotype can determine physical differences and aspects of personality.
Phenotype
How a person’s genes are expressed
The phenotype is influenced by environmental factors.
List the three main areas of psychological development.
- Social (external environment/ relationship)
- Emotional (feelings)
- Cognitive (thoughts/mental processes)
Each area is influenced by hereditary and environmental factors.
Environmental factors
different external influences within a person environment that can effect their development
- Access to quality education
- Social interactions
Examples include upbringing, experiences, relationships, and education.
Heredity
passing on of genes or genetic information from parents to their offspring
This process occurs at conception when genetic material from parents combines.
Explain the relationship between heredity and hereditary factors.
Heredity refers to the genetic transmission,
hereditary factors are the biological influences obtained from this transmission
Both contribute to determining characteristics and traits.
What is the significance of studying identical twins in psychological development?
They provide insights into the interplay of hereditary and environmental factors
Differences in twins raised apart can highlight the impact of environment.
How can environmental factors influence the expression of our genes?
Environmental factors such as encouragement, access to quality education, and opportunities for achievement can influence gene expression
For example, a child with intelligent parents may not reach their potential without positive environmental influences.
key challenge for psychologists studying development
Determining the weight of influence of hereditary and environmental factors
This complexity makes it difficult to isolate the effects of each factor on development.
Psychological developement
the changes in someone’s social, emotional and cognitive abilities
- from infancy to old age
